Cathedral of Christ the King (Atlanta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Christ the King |
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| Catedral de Cristo Rey (Spanish) | |
Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| 33°49′41.09″N 84°23′13.023″W / 33.8280806°N 84.38695083°W | |
| Location | Atlanta, GA |
| Country | United States |
| Language(s) | English (primary), Spanish (select events & masses) |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Membership | ~5,700 registered families |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Co-Cathedral of Christ the King (1939-1956, until Diocese of Savannah and Atlanta split) |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Founder(s) | First Pastor, Fr. Joseph E. Moylan |
| Consecrated | 1939 |
| Past bishop(s) | Wilton Daniel Gregory (2004-2019), elevated to Cardinal |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Henry D. Dagit, Jr. |
| Style | French Neo-Gothic |
| Years built | 1937-1939 |
| Groundbreaking | 1937 |
| Completed | 1939 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 700 |
| Number of spires | 2 |
| Materials | Limestone |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Atlanta |
| Metropolis | Atlanta |
The Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta, Georgia (United States) is the mother-church for the one million members of the Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta. The cathedral is located at what is popularly called "Jesus Junction" on Peachtree Road, between East Wesley Road and Peachtree Road, in Atlanta's uptown Buckhead district. At present, the parish is one of the ten largest congregations in the United States, with over 5,500 families. Christ the King School also occupies the property, with an enrollment of approximately 600 students.
History
The parish of Christ the King was established in 1936. The congregation purchased approximately four acres of land for $35,000 and held early masses in the mansion that occupied the site. To construct the current cathedral, the parish demolished this structure and purchased adjacent land from the Ku Klux Klan which previously served as its headquarters.
Architect Henry D. Dagit, Jr., designed the sanctuary in the Gothic Revival (French Neo-Gothic) style with touches of Art Deco in the interior, especially on the stone reredos. The stained glass windows (restored in 2015-16 by Daprato Rigali Studios) were originally works of the Willet Stained Glass Studios of Philadelphia. A 1939 issue of Architectural Record called it the "Most Beautiful Building in Atlanta".
On January 5, 1937, when Pope Pius XI proclaimed that the Diocese of Savannah, organized in 1850, would now be known as the Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta. Christ the King parish became the Co-Cathedral with the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah.
On July 2, 1956, Pope Pius XII split the Savannah-Atlanta Diocese to create the Diocese of Atlanta. The Co-Cathedral became cathedral of the new diocese, and Francis Edward Hyland became its first bishop.
Construction of the school began in 1936, and it opened October 31, 1937, under the administration of the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, with a blessing by Savannah Bishop Gerald O'Hara. In 1940, the school added a high school curriculum which operated until 1958, when students transferred to the newly formed St. Pius X Catholic High School.
Like many churches all over the world, the Cathedral faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. They were forced to cancel many services and masses for a few months, and suspend others for even longer, such as the youth choir ministries, which are still not reinstated.
Mass and service schedule
| Sunday | Monday-Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday-Friday | Saturday |
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| 7:30am Mass,
9:00am Mass, 10:30am Mass, 10:30am (children's Mass in parish gym) Noon Mass, 1:30pm Mass (spanish), 4:00pm Mass, 5:30pm Mass |
6:45am Mass,
8:10am Mass, 12:10pm Mass (followed by Rosary) |
6:45am Mass,
8:10am Mass, 12:10pm Mass (followed by Rosary, Adoration until 3:00pm) |
6:45am Mass,
8:10am Mass, 12:10pm Mass (followed by Rosary) |
8:10am Mass,
4pm Sunday Vigil Mass |
| Ash Wednesday | Fridays | Holy Week |
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| Regular Wednesday schedule with additional Masses at 5pm, 7pm, and 8:30pm | Stations of the Cross after 6:45am Mass and at 7:00pm following a Fish Fry | Palm Sunday: Regular Sunday schedule, with long Palm procession preceding 9:00am Mass
Holy Tuesday: Archdiocesan Chrism Mass Maundy Thursday: Archdiocesan Maundy Thursday Mass at 7:00pm, and Tenebrae at night Good Friday: Liturgy of the Hours, Passion Service at 3:00pm, Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm Holy Saturday: Liturgy of the Hours, Eastern European Basket Blessing, Archdiocesan Easter Vigil at 8:00pm |
Ministries
As both the mother church of an Archdiocese and a large-sized parish, the Cathedral offers many regularly-meeting ministries. Those ministries include, but are not limited to:
Children's: Recreation (ie. Parish Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball programs), Altar Serving, and Children's Choirs
Adult Ministries: 20/30 Somethings, Adoration Guardians, Bible Study, Rosary Group, Women's Club, Men's Club, Knights of Columbus, Prayer Chain
Liturgical: Flower Guild, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Ushers, Wedding Guild
Choirs: Cathedral Choir, School Nova Choir, Cathedral Evening Ensemble Choir, Summer Ensemble, Hispanic Choir, Middle School Boys and Girls Choirs
Outreach: Funeral Ministry, Sandwich/Snack Bag Making Team (MUST Ministries), Baking Team, St. Vincent de Paul Society
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Cristo Rey (Atlanta) para niños
